U.S. patent application number 09/864008 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-31 for image input apparatus and its control method.
Invention is credited to Kitagawa, Eiichiro.
Application Number | 20020013863 09/864008 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18658837 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020013863 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kitagawa, Eiichiro |
January 31, 2002 |
Image input apparatus and its control method
Abstract
In an image input apparatus which can be controlled by a host
computer, and has a request sending unit for sending a request
input by the user to the host computer, an internal command
execution unit for executing the request, and a request route flag
table which stores correspondence data of the request type and
destination, the user input is accepted, a request in a
predetermined format is generated on the basis of the accepted user
input, and the generated request is sent to the request sending
unit or command execution unit with reference to the request route
flag table.
Inventors: |
Kitagawa, Eiichiro;
(Kanagawa, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORGAN & FINNEGAN, L.L.P.
345 PARK AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10154
US
|
Family ID: |
18658837 |
Appl. No.: |
09/864008 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
710/5 ;
348/E5.042 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/23206
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
710/5 |
International
Class: |
G06F 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 24, 2000 |
JP |
153616/2000 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An image input apparatus which can be controlled by an external
control apparatus, comprising: request generation means for
generating a request in a predetermined format on the basis of user
input; sending means for sending the request generated by said
request generation means to the external control apparatus;
processing means for executing the request generated by said
request generation means; memory for storing correspondence data of
a request type and destination; and route determination means for
sending the request generated by said request generation means to
one of said sending means and said processing means with reference
to the data stored in said memory.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising reception
means for receiving a command from the external control apparatus,
wherein said processing means executes the command.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising update
means for updating the destination stored in said memory.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the destination is
updated on the basis of a command from the external control
apparatus.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
detection means for detecting a connection state with the external
control apparatus; and means for, when said detection means detects
that said apparatus is not connected to the external control
apparatus, controlling said route determination means to send the
request to said processing means.
6. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:
detection means for detecting a connection state with the external
control apparatus, wherein when said detection means detects that
said apparatus is disconnected from the external control apparatus,
said update means initializes the data in said memory.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said memory stores
said sending means as destination of an image capture request.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said memory stores
said processing means as destination of an image capture
request.
9. A control method for controlling an image input apparatus which
can be controlled by an external control apparatus, and has sending
means for sending a request input by a user to the external control
apparatus, processing means for executing the request, and memory
for storing correspondence data of a request type and destination,
comprising: a request generation step of generating a request in a
predetermined format on the basis of user input; and a route
determination step of sending the request generated in said request
generation step to one of the sending means and the processing
means with reference to the data stored in the memory.
10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a reception
step of receiving a command from the external control apparatus,
and wherein the processing means executes the command.
11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising an update
step of updating the destination stored in the memory.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the destination is
updated on the basis of a command from the external control
apparatus.
13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: a
detection step of detecting a connection state with the external
control apparatus, wherein, when it is detected in said detection
step that the image input apparatus is not connected to the
external control apparatus, the request is sent to the processing
means in said route determination step.
14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: a
detection step of detecting a connection state with the external
control apparatus; and an initialization step of initializing the
data in the memory when it is detected in said detection step that
the image input apparatus is disconnected from the external control
apparatus.
15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the memory stores the
processing means as destination of an image capture request.
16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the memory stores the
sending means as destination of an image capture request.
17. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium
having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium
for controlling an image input apparatus which can be controlled by
an external control apparatus, and has sending means for sending a
request input by a user to the external control apparatus,
processing means for executing the request, and memory for storing
correspondence data of a request type and destination, said product
including: first computer readable program code means for
generating a request in a predetermined format on the basis of user
input; and second computer readable program code means for sending
the request generated in said request generation step to one of the
sending means and the processing means with reference to the data
stored in the memory.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an image input apparatus
and, more particularly, to an image input apparatus which can be
used as a standalone apparatus and can also be used to operate
under the control of a personal computer connected thereto, and a
control switching method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In a conventional image input apparatus, upon receiving user
input for, e.g., controlling the image sensing direction of the
image input apparatus from user input means such as a panel, remote
controller, camera switch, or the like, that input is converted
into a request inside a system, and the request is processed to
implement a given function.
[0003] There are two modes, i.e., a local control mode and host
control mode which differ from each other in method of processing a
request.
[0004] In the local control mode for accepting user input only from
the image input apparatus, all requests are interpreted by a
request interpreter inside the apparatus, and processes are
executed according to the interpretation results.
[0005] In the host control mode for accepting user input from both
of the image input apparatus and the host computer, all requests by
a user from user input means such as a panel, remote controller,
camera switch, and the like are sent to a host computer connected
without being interpreted inside the apparatus, and processes are
executed upon receiving corresponding commands from the host
computer.
[0006] FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining the process of the
conventional image input apparatus in the local control mode, FIG.
9 is a block diagram for explaining the process of the conventional
image input apparatus in the host control mode, FIG. 10 is a flow
chart for explaining the operation of a user input process in the
conventional image input apparatus, and FIG. 11 is a flow chart for
explaining the operation of the conventional image input apparatus
upon receiving a command from the host computer.
[0007] Since the local control mode is selected upon starting up
the apparatus, a control mode determination unit 205 determines the
local control mode. The operation at that time will be explained
below with reference to FIGS. 8 and 10.
[0008] Upon receiving user input at a remote controller receiver
202 in step S201, a user input converter 204 generates a request
corresponding to the user input in step S202. The request is sent
to the control mode determination unit 205. Since the apparatus has
initially been started up in the local control mode (NO in step
S203), the request is sent to a request interpreter 206. In step
S204, the request interpreter 206 converts the request into an
internal command, and sends it to an internal command execution
unit 207. In step S205, the internal command execution unit 207
executes the process. After the control mode is switched to the
host control mode in a sequence to be described later, the request
generated in step S202 is sent to the host computer in step S206
without being executed inside the apparatus.
[0009] Switching control from the local control mode to the host
control mode, switching control from the host control mode to the
local control mode, and control in the host control mode will be
explained below.
[0010] Switching control to the host control mode will be described
first with reference to FIGS. 8 and 11. Upon receiving a command
from the host computer via a host interface 210 and command
receiver 209 in step S210, the received command is sent to a
command interpreter 211 and is converted into an internal command
in step S211. The command interpreter 211 checks if the received
command is a host control mode switch command. If the received
command is the host control mode switch command (YES in step S212),
the command interpreter 211 generates a corresponding internal
command, and sends it to the internal command execution unit 207.
The internal command execution unit 207 instructs the control mode
determination unit 205 to switch the control mode to the host
control mode, and the control mode determination unit 205 switches
the control mode to the host control mode in step S213, thus ending
the processing. Upon switching to the host control mode, a link
state is changed to that shown in FIG. 9.
[0011] Switching control to the local control mode will be
explained below with reference to FIGS. 9 and 11. If it is
determined in step S212 that the command received in step S210 is
not a host control mode switch command, the flow advances to step
S214 to check if the received command is a local control mode
switch command. If the received command is the local control mode
switch command, the flow advances to step S215, and an internal
command generated by the command interpreter 211 in step S211 is
sent to the internal command execution unit 207. The internal
command execution unit 207 instructs the control mode determination
unit 205 to switch the control mode to the local control mode, and
the control mode determination unit 205 switches the control mode
to the local control mode, thus ending the processing. After that,
upon receiving user input in step S201 in FIG. 10, the processes in
steps S204 and S205 mentioned above are executed.
[0012] If it is determined in step S214 in FIG. 11 that the
received command is not a local control mode switch command, the
control mode determination unit 205 checks in step S216 if the
current control mode is the host control mode. If NO in step S216,
the received command is ignored, and the processing ends. On the
other hand, if YES in step S216, the flow advances to step S217,
and an internal command generated by the command interpreter 211 in
step S211 is sent to the internal command execution unit 207. Then,
the internal command execution unit 207 executes a process, thus
ending the processing.
[0013] However, in the aforementioned system, since all requests,
inputted to the image input apparatus, including those which need
not be sent to the host computer are sent to the host computer in
the host control mode, the processing on the host computer side
unwantedly becomes complicated.
[0014] In the host control mode, since all user inputs are
processed in the sequence of:
[0015] (1) a request is sent to the host;
[0016] (2) the host computer interprets the request;
[0017] (3) the host computer sends a command; and
[0018] (4) the command is received to execute a process, a large
time lag is generated from each user input to execution of the
process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The present invention has been made in consideration of the
above situation, and has as its object to shorten the time required
from when user input is received until a corresponding process is
executed, and to reduce the processing load on the host
computer.
[0020] According to the present invention, the foregoing object is
attained by providing an image input apparatus which can be
controlled by an external control apparatus, comprising: request
generation means for generating a request in a predetermined format
on the basis of user input; sending means for sending the request
generated by that request generation means to the external control
apparatus; processing means for executing the request generated by
that request generation means; memory for storing correspondence
data of a request type and destination; and route determination
means for sending the request generated by that request generation
means to one of that sending means and that processing means with
reference to the data stored in that memory.
[0021] According to the present invention, the foregoing object is
also attained by providing a control method for controlling an
image input apparatus which can be controlled by an external
control apparatus, and has sending means for sending a request
input by a user to the external control apparatus, processing means
for executing the request, and memory for storing correspondence
data of a request type and destination, comprising: a request
generation step of generating a request in a predetermined format
on the basis of user input; and a route determination step of
sending the request generated in that request generation step to
one of the sending means and the processing means with reference to
the data stored in the memory.
[0022] Further, the foregoing object is also attained by providing
a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium
having computer readable program code means embodied in that medium
for controlling an image input apparatus which can be controlled by
an external control apparatus, and has sending means for sending a
request input by a user to the external control apparatus,
processing means for executing the request, and memory for storing
correspondence data of a request type and destination, that product
including: first computer readable program code means for
generating a request in a predetermined format on the basis of user
input; and second computer readable program code means for sending
the request generated in that request generation step to one of the
sending means and the processing means with reference to the data
stored in the memory.
[0023] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters
designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures
thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of
the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the process in an
image input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the
image input apparatus according to the embodiment of the present
invention;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the flow of a user input
process according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the flow of a received
command process according to the embodiment of the present
invention;
[0029] FIG. 5 shows a request format according to the embodiment of
the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 6 is a table showing the relationship among requests,
commands, and internal operations with respect to user inputs
according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 7 shows an example of a request route flag table
according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining the process of a
conventional image input apparatus in a local control mode;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a block diagram for explaining the process of the
conventional image input apparatus in a host control mode;
[0034] FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of a
user input process in the conventional image input apparatus;
and
[0035] FIG. 11 is a flow chart for explaining a host input process
in the conventional image input apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0036] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be
described in detail in accordance with the accompanying
drawings.
[0037] FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the process of an
image input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of
the image input apparatus in the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 2, reference numeral 100 denotes an image
input apparatus in this embodiment, which is mainly constituted by
a camera head unit 200 and system controller 300. Reference numeral
22 denotes a host computer which can control the image input
apparatus 100.
[0039] The camera head unit 200 comprises a lens unit 12, a stop
13, an image sensing unit 14 such as a CCD or the like, a CDS/AGC
unit 15 for performing a double-correlation sampling process and
auto-gain control, an A/D converter 16, a signal processor 17, a
timing signal generator (TG) 18 for controlling the operation
timings of respective units, a camera head controller 19 for
controlling the overall camera head unit 200, and a system
controller I/F 20 for communicating with a system controller
300.
[0040] The system controller 300 comprises a remote controller
receiver interface 3 for communicating with a remote controller
receiver 1, a panel unit I/F 4 for communicating with a panel unit
2, a camera head unit I/F 5, a timer 6, a central processing unit
(CPU) 7, a temporary storage device 8 such as RAM, an internal
storage device 9, such as ROM, of the apparatus, and a host I/F 10
such as a USB interface or the like for communicating with the host
computer 22, which are connected to a system bus 11.
[0041] Also, reference numeral 23 denotes a remote controller; 1, a
remote controller receiver; 2, a panel unit; and 21, a USB
cable.
[0042] When the user has pressed, e.g., a button of the remote
controller 23, the remote controller receiver 1 receives a
button-ON remote-control signal, and informs the remote controller
receiver interface 3 of reception of that signal.
[0043] A request is sent to the host computer by the USB interface
10 via the USB cable 21 using USB interrupt transfer. Also, a
command from the host computer 22 is received by the USB I/F 10
using USB control transfer.
[0044] A control instruction to the camera head unit 200 is sent to
the camera head controller 19 via the camera head unit I/F 5 and
system controller I/F 20, thus controlling the lens unit 12 and
stop 13.
[0045] A video signal is sent from the signal processor 17 of the
camera head unit 200 to the system controller 300 as a digital
signal via the camera head controller 19, system controller
interface 20, and camera head unit I/F 5.
[0046] Image transfer to the host computer 22 is done by the host
I/F 10 such as a USB I/F or the like using USB bulk transfer via
the USB cable 21.
[0047] The process of the image input apparatus 100 with the above
arrangement will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to
7.
[0048] In this embodiment, a request input from a panel input unit
101, remote controller receiver 102, or camera switch input unit
103 is converted by a user input converter 104 into a format
including a request ID, input source ID, and parameter, as shown in
FIG. 5, and is distributed to a given destination using a request
route flag table 106. FIG. 6 shows correspondence among request
IDs, command IDs, and command interpretations, and FIG. 7 shows an
example of the request route flag table 106. The host computer 22
may accept user input for controlling the image input apparatus
100, and in such a case, a command for controlling the image input
apparatus 100 is generated in the host computer 22.
[0049] Upon receiving user input from one of the panel input unit
101, remote controller receiver 102, and camera switch input unit
103 in step S101 in FIG. 3, the user input converter 104 generates
a request corresponding to the user input in step S102. For
example, if the user input is a zoom-in instruction (upon
depression of ZoomTele button) from the remote controller 23, a
request including request ID=02, input source=01, and parameter=01
is generated.
[0050] The generated request is sent to a request route
determination unit 105. The request route determination unit 105
determines a destination (00 in the above example) corresponding to
the request ID with reference to the request ID (02 in the above
example) in the received request and flag information held in the
request route flag table 106 in step S103. In the initial state,
since all the request routes shown in FIG. 7 are set to "internal
interpretation/execution" (00), NO is determined in step S104.
Therefore, the request route determination unit 105 sends the
request to a request converter 107, which converts the request into
a command ID (=02) on the basis of information shown in FIG. 6 and
sends it to a command interpreter 108 in step S105. The command
interpreter 108 interprets the command ID (=02) to convert it into
an internal command (start zooming in the tele-photo direction),
and sends the command to an internal command execution unit 109 in
step S106. The internal command execution unit 109 executes a
process (zoom control in the Tele direction) in step S107.
[0051] When the request route flag table 106 is changed in a
sequence to be described later, and a request route corresponding
to the input request ID is changed to "send to host PC" (01), and
the request route determination unit 105 determines in step S104
that the request ID is "send to host PC" (01), the flow advances to
step S108, and the request input by the user is sent to the host
computer 22 via a request transmitter 110 and host interface 112.
For example, if the user input is depression of an image capture
button (image sensing operation start button) of the camera switch
input unit 103 (request ID=01, input source ID=03, parameter=01),
and the contents of the request route flag table 106 have been
updated as shown in FIG. 7, since a request route flag
corresponding to request ID=01 is 01 (send to host PC), the input
request is sent to the host computer 22. The reason for informing
the image capture request to the host computer 22 is that the host
computer 22 has to launch a predetermined application to prepare
for processing image signals before image signals are transmitted
from the image input apparatus 100, and the image capture starts
after launching of the predetermined application is confirmed.
[0052] Further, if a command is sent from the host computer 22 via
the host interface 112 in step S110 in FIG. 4, the command is
received by a command receiver 111, and is sent to the command
interpreter 108. The command interpreter 108 interprets the
received command to generate an internal command and sends it to
the internal command execution unit 109 in step Slll. It is checked
in step S112 if the internal command is a request route change
command. If the internal command is not a request route change
command (NO in step S112), the internal command is executed (step
S114), thus ending the processing. On the other hand, if the
internal command is a request route change command (YES in step
S112), the flow advances to step S113 to instruct the request route
determination unit 105 to change the request route. The request
route determination unit 105 updates the corresponding flag on the
request route flag table 106.
[0053] Note that the aforementioned process is saved in the ROM 9
in the apparatus, and a processing command is read out and executed
by the CPU 7. All intermediate processing results are stored in the
RAM 8.
[0054] The request route flag table 106 is saved in the ROM 9 as a
default setup upon startup, and is stored in the RAM 8 after the
apparatus has started up. After that, the flags are updated on the
RAM 8.
[0055] As described above, according to this embodiment, requests
corresponding to the user inputs are discriminated to send requests
which must be sent to the host computer to the host computer, and
to internally process other requests. Hence, the time required from
when the user input is received until a process is executed can be
shortened, and the processing load on the host computer can be
reduced.
[0056] In the above description, the image input apparatus 100 is
connected to the host computer 22. When the image input apparatus
100 is disconnected from the host computer 22, and a connection
detection means (not shown) detects that the apparatus 100 is
disconnected from the host computer 22, the request route
determination unit 105 is controlled to send all requests input
from the user input converter 104 to the request converter 107.
Alternatively, the request route flag table 106 may be
initialized.
[0057] <Other Embodiment>
[0058] Further, the object of the present invention can also be
achieved by providing a storage medium storing program codes for
performing the aforesaid processes to a computer system or
apparatus (e.g., a personal computer), reading the program codes,
by a CPU or MPU of the computer system or apparatus, from the
storage medium, then executing the program.
[0059] In this case, the program codes read from the storage medium
realize the functions according to the embodiment, and the storage
medium storing the program codes constitutes the invention.
[0060] Further, the storage medium, such as a floppy disk, a hard
disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, a
magnetic tape, a non-volatile type memory card, and ROM can be used
for providing the program codes.
[0061] Furthermore, besides aforesaid functions according to the
above embodiment are realized by executing the program codes which
are read by a computer, the present invention includes a case where
an OS (operating system) or the like working on the computer
performs a part or entire processes in accordance with designations
of the program codes and realizes functions according to the above
embodiment.
[0062] Furthermore, the present invention also includes a case
where, after the program codes read from the storage medium are
written in a function expansion card which is inserted into the
computer or in a memory provided in a function expansion unit which
is connected to the computer, CPU or the like contained in the
function expansion card or unit performs a part or entire process
in accordance with designations of the program codes and realizes
functions of the above embodiment.
[0063] In a case where the present invention is applied to the
aforesaid storage medium, the storage medium stores program codes
corresponding to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, or 6 and 7
described in the embodiment.
[0064] The present invention is not limited to the above
embodiments and various changes and modifications can be made
within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore to
apprise the public of the scope of the present invention, the
following claims are made.
* * * * *